Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins can't earn top playoff seed

An NHL season unlike any other due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to experience unique twists and turns.

The Boston Bruins sat atop the overall NHL standings with 100 points thanks to a 44-14-12 record when the league suspended play on March 12 because of the uncontrolled virus outbreak. However, after losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning during the round-robin portion of the 24-team format to crown a Stanley Cup champion, the Bruins can no longer earn one of the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference playoffs, as noted by ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

Boston isn't the only club struggling to reclaim prior form while inside the bubble sites of Toronto and Edmonton. In Stanley Cup Qualifiers series, the Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 5) and Nashville Predators (No. 6) both faced 2-1 deficits to lower seeds after three games.

The Carolina Hurricanes, a No. 6 seed, notched the restart's only sweep, a three-game romp over the No. 11 New York Rangers.